Above class for Jewish Studies students only. Obtain online
Authorization from Jewish Studies Advisor.
This is a required course for all Jewish Studies majors.
There is no prerequisite for this course. Students need not have
taken HIST-H 251.
The Jewish impact on the development of the modern age has famously
led some to term the 20th century “The Jewish Century.” At the same
time, modernity in all its forms has impacted the history of Jewish
civilization in fundamental ways. This course will examine the
history of the Jewish people from the Expulsion from Spain in 1492
to the present day. Topics to be discussed include Kabbalah and
Jewish mysticism, the development of Reform Judaism, Hasidism,
Jewish patterns of migration, the American Jewish experience, the
Holocaust, Zionism, and the foundation of the State of Israel.
Students will learn how to approach texts from a historical
perspective, how to think analytically about the past, how to
formulate historically relevant questions, and how to analyze a
variety of historical materials, including primary source texts and
modern scholarship. Although this course can serve as a continuation
of HIST-H 251, H 251 is not a prerequisite for this introductory
course. Course requirements will include tests, short writing
assignments, and an exam.
Fulfills: Jewish Studies History & Society course; S&H; Culture
Studies List A; core course for Jewish Studies major